Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil
More of a mini-unit than a lesson, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...
Curated OER
Avoiding Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Burning Fossil Fuels
Chemistry and earth science meet in a lesson on carbon dioxide emissions. After reading about atmospheric problems caused by using fossil fuels, science stars balance equations for the burning of different alkanes. They compute the...
Curated OER
Chemical Consequences of Burning Fossil Fuels
Future scientists are introduced to the chemical consequences of burning fossil fuels, learning that fossil fuel combustion leads to the formation of oxides of three nonmetals: carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, all of which end up in the...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel lesson, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct pollution...
Curated OER
Avoiding Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Burning Fossil Fuels
Students calculate stoichiometrically the amount of carbon dioxide that would be emitted from burning a mole of varios alkanes that comprise fossile fuels. If the energy released from burning a mole of these alkanes is known, then the...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels
Fifth graders explore the use of fossil fuels and relate it to effects on the environment.
Curated OER
Pollution and Lung Health
Students investigate how pollution affects lung health. In this pollution and lung health lesson plan, students build lung models from a soda bottle and balloons, and then discuss how the emissions from fossil fuels can adversely affect...
Curated OER
Air Quality
Students observe air quality and monoxide data. In this air quality lesson, students draw conclusions and manipulate data from a one year period on changes in air quality.
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels vs. Alternative Fueling Systems
Fourth graders brainstorm the differences between the fossil fuels that people use in their transportation now and what they could use to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. They use a variety of techniques from webquests to writing...
Curated OER
Clean, Green Power
Students explore and discuss alternative energy sources, and identify disadvantages of current fossil fuels.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
What is My Carbon Footprint?
Here is a lesson that walks youth through an online carbon footprint calculator produced by the University of California, Berkeley. Once learners finish inputting information, they compete a worksheet with the results. This is simple,...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Black Carbon - a Dusty Situation
Introduce your young meteorologists to black carbon produced by the burning of fossil fuels by showing the video, "Changing Planet: Black Carbon." Viewers discover that deposition of this carbon on polar ice impacts the absorption of...
Curated OER
Pollution and Lung Health
Students study how lungs and a diaphragm work to make them breathe. For this pollution lesson students build a lung model and learn three things they can do to protect themselves from the effects of fossil fuels.
Curated OER
Illuminating Climate Change: Connecting Lighting and Global Warming
Learners analyze energy usage and connect energy usage to fossil fuel consumption. In this global warming and pollution instructional activity, students what fuels are used to generate electricity and how much CO2 each fuel produces,...
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2010
This exam touches upon every topic within the typical first year biology course.. A broad variety of question styles give high schoolers every opportunity to show what they know. Why start from scratch when a comprehensive final exam is...
Carnegie Mellon University
Transportation
Teach your environmental studies, life science, or engineering class how an internal combustion engine works using the first few slides of the accompanying presentation. Then, focus in on the resulting carbon emissions. Finally, take a...
California Academy of Science
Building Better Buses: Transportation Design Challenges
Scholars learn about a series of three challenges when they design a bus system for a small town. They determine the bus routes and then figure out the best type of fuel to use before considering the cost of going electric. Learners...
Curated OER
Acid Rain Effects
Get out the goggles and conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects. Young chemists observe and describe the harmful...
Curated OER
Mobility: Fuel for Change
Middle schoolers determine how to lower the reliance on petroleum-based fuel. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students create concept cars for the future that using renewable energy.
Curated OER
Human Effect
Young scholars investigate changes in air quality. In this science lesson, students compare data to determine the air quality. Young scholars explore how humans affect the air quality.
Curated OER
Air Quality
Students determine potential sources of major air pollutants, explain how acid rain is generated and how it affects the environment, discuss global warming, and explore protective role of ozone and cause of ozone layer thinning. Lessons...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil: Topographic Mapping, Crustal Deformation, Rock Porosity, and Environmental Pollution
Students review an interpretation of geologic history and relate it to the formation of oil deposits. They explore and explain factors controlling the porosity and permeability of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Pupils also interpret...
Curated OER
Filling Up-Gasoline
In this fuel sources worksheet, students calculate the E85 alternative fuel costs per gallon compared to the cost of gasoline. Students complete a table to show the comparison prices. They create a triple line graph to show the...
Center Science Education
CO2: How Much Do You Spew?
Split your earth science or environmental studies class into groups and give each a scenario card. Scenario cards describe the lifestyles of 10 different fictitious families, focusing on their energy usage. Carbon dioxide emissions are...